[VIC]Mont Park branch

What still remains of the old Mont Park branch? I assume that platform 3 (back platform) at Macleod was formerly for the Mont Park branch, but does anything else remain? Are there any staunchions remaining and is the formation still intact? And is there still a platform or anything at Mont Park?

Contact Somebody in the WWW

What still remains of the old Mont Park branch? I assume that platform 3 (back platform) at Macleod was formerly for the Mont Park branch, but does anything else remain? Are there any staunchions remaining and is the formation still intact? And is there still a platform or anything at Mont Park?Somebody in the WWW

Where did this Mont Park branch go to? I can't see any gaps around Macleod, so I would assume that nothing was left, or there would be a clearly defined hole somewhere around the station...

Contact fujitsu

The rail was lifted by the TMSV in the late 60's (or it might have been very early 70's. I remember the Sunday workgangs had to work fast as if we hadn't removed the rail it was going to be buried by the landowner filling in the shallow cutting and we had to keep ahead of the encroaching fill.
I thought I commented on this in RP before. Did you do a Search before asking the question?

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There is a small section of the alignment remain(approx 100 meters long) with some remains of the pole, and that's it. This remain of the alignment is about 300 meters away from Macleod station.

The line was long gone, and since it was removed, the former Mont Park hospital did some earth work/construction work which removed much of the alignment and former railway yard, after the hospital closed, and sold to real estate, the new estate did even more earth work and constructions removed even more former alignment, bottom line it's a sad story.

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Just a few recollections from the 30's and 40's . The Mont Park branch was really a siding with light rails and the light steel stanchions used in suburban sidings. It left the Hurstbridge line on the Melbourne side of Macleod station which was then one platform on the west side of the single line. The line ran BEHIND the platform with a walkway across it to get to the booking office and platform gate of the station. There was no platform at Mont Park, it was purely a goods yard. I can't recall whether it had two or three tracks, but visiting some one in Gresswell I remember seeing a few rail wagons there.
There were four hospitals in the complex as shown in that 1966 Melway map - Mont Park Hospital, Gresswell Sanitorium, Macleod Rehab Hospital and Laraundel Psychiatric Hosp over near Plenty road. So probably all may have used the goods yard at some time. Orienting the Melway 1 map with the current edition, I would say the the location of the goods yard would be very close to the circular pond on Red Gum Common Map 19 K5/6.
In those days the Heidelberg line was single from Alphington with a passing loop at Ivanhoe (2 platforms ) Heidelberg was an island platform, and off peak the trains from the city terminated there and passengers had to walk across to the opposite platform for the shuttle to Eltham which ran about once an hour and about every two hours to Hurstbridge. Rosanna and Macleod platforms were on the west side of the line, Watsonia on the east side. Greensborough had only one platform but it had a crossing loop, so the first train would enter the platform, unload and load, then back out down the track to clear the points then move forward into the loop. The other train would come straight into the platform collect the staff for its next section and go on its way. The staff it had brought in would be given to the driver of the first train who would go on his way some five minutes or more after having arrived. Just like they did in the country.
But Greensborough was all country in those days.
On interesting thing happened according to a press report late in WW2.
The Mont Park goods couldn't go past Macleod,as person or persons unknown had stolen all the copper junction wires that re brazed to the
rails at each joint for the electrical connections. Copper and the like was very scare due to wartime and it took quite a few days before the track could be reopened.

Posted: 05 Sep 2005 11:20

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The diagram I've seen of the Mont Park yard showed a simple 4 road "ladder" yard connected at both up and down ends with no dead-end extensions. Whether it was like that for it's entire life is another matter...

There are some great early photos of the Hurstbridge line here. About the only early photos I have been able to find. If anyone has any more please let me know.

penov, its very interesting to hear your recollections of the Hurstbridge line. I would urge anyone else sitting on something to do the same!

Set back crosses like you mention happening at Greensborough happened until fairly recently at Diamond Creek. until the loop platform was built in 1993 or there abouts. (okay, 1993 is not that recent, just it's not the sort of thing you would expect to see a comeng doing!)

Not really related to this thread, but I noticed the other day that the last of the track in the APM Fairfield siding has been removed. So ends the remains of the last industrial siding on the Hurstbridge line.

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All those trestles, except the big Eltham one, were burnt out in 1969 bushfires?A user

Ah-huh. That would explain why they were replaced but the Eltham one wasn't done at the same time.

From time to time victrack or the DOI or whoever threatens to replace it with an embankment, and there are howls of protest from the community. They say it is an important part of Eltham's character and I'd be inclined to agree. I suppose it can't last for ever though. The Greensborough-Eltham duplification will kill it.

Posted: 24 Sep 2005 00:09

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From time to time victrack or the DOI or whoever threatens to replace it with an embankment, and there are howls of protest from the community. They say it is an important part of Eltham's character and I'd be inclined to agree. I suppose it can't last for ever though. The Greensborough-Eltham duplification will kill it.Melbournesparks

It can last forever, if they keep replacing parts. You don't think it's all original, do you?

And the duplication may not kill it. First, it is possible for the duplication to end just before the bridge, leaving a short single-track section over the bridge. Second, I've heard (from highly-placed sources) the possibility mooted that another bridge could be built next to the existing trestle, for the second track.

Contact John of Melbourne

It can last forever, if they keep replacing parts. You don't think it's all original, do you?

And the duplication may not kill it. First, it is possible for the duplication to end just before the bridge, leaving a short single-track section over the bridge. Second, I've heard (from highly-placed sources) the possibility mooted that another bridge could be built next to the existing trestle, for the second track.A user

I was thinking more in terms of how long it will be before victrack doesn't want to maintain it any more. I think the maintainace costs would be somewhat greater than an embankment?

Duplication would just be a good excuse to replace it.

I like the sound of a second bridge or the double track ending just before the bridge. The latter could probably be done quite cheaply, I think the rail corridor between Eltham and Greensborough is already designed for double track.

The Plenty river and Sherbourne road bridges already have a second set of abutments.